Province of Alberta. The 29th Legislature Third Session. Alberta Hansard. Monday afternoon, March 20, Day 10

Transcription

1 Province of Alberta The 29th Legislature Third Session Alberta Hansard Monday afternoon, March 20, 2017 Day 10 The Honourable Robert E. Wanner, Speaker

2 Legislative Assembly of Alberta The 29th Legislature Third Session Wanner, Hon. Robert E., Medicine Hat (ND), Speaker Jabbour, Deborah C., Peace River (ND), Deputy Speaker and Chair of Committees Sweet, Heather, Edmonton-Manning (ND), Deputy Chair of Committees Aheer, Leela Sharon, Chestermere-Rocky View (W) Anderson, Hon. Shaye, Leduc-Beaumont (ND) Anderson, Wayne, Highwood (W) Babcock, Erin D., Stony Plain (ND) Barnes, Drew, Cypress-Medicine Hat (W) Bilous, Hon. Deron, Edmonton-Beverly-Clareview (ND), Deputy Government House Leader Carlier, Hon. Oneil, Whitecourt-Ste. Anne (ND), Deputy Government House Leader Carson, Jonathon, Edmonton-Meadowlark (ND) Ceci, Hon. Joe, Calgary-Fort (ND) Clark, Greg, Calgary-Elbow (AP) Connolly, Michael R.D., Calgary-Hawkwood (ND) Coolahan, Craig, Calgary-Klein (ND) Cooper, Nathan, Olds-Didsbury-Three Hills (W), Official Opposition House Leader Cortes-Vargas, Estefania, Strathcona-Sherwood Park (ND), Government Whip Cyr, Scott J., Bonnyville-Cold Lake (W) Dach, Lorne, Edmonton-McClung (ND) Dang, Thomas, Edmonton-South West (ND) Drever, Deborah, Calgary-Bow (ND) Drysdale, Wayne, Grande Prairie-Wapiti (PC), Progressive Conservative Opposition Whip Eggen, Hon. David, Edmonton-Calder (ND) Ellis, Mike, Calgary-West (PC) Feehan, Hon. Richard, Edmonton-Rutherford (ND) Fildebrandt, Derek Gerhard, Strathmore-Brooks (W) Fitzpatrick, Maria M., Lethbridge-East (ND) Fraser, Rick, Calgary-South East (PC) Ganley, Hon. Kathleen T., Calgary-Buffalo (ND) Gill, Prab, Calgary-Greenway (PC) Goehring, Nicole, Edmonton-Castle Downs (ND) Gotfried, Richard, Calgary-Fish Creek (PC) Gray, Hon. Christina, Edmonton-Mill Woods (ND) Hanson, David B., Lac La Biche-St. Paul-Two Hills (W), Official Opposition Deputy House Leader Hinkley, Bruce, Wetaskiwin-Camrose (ND) Hoffman, Hon. Sarah, Edmonton-Glenora (ND) Horne, Trevor A.R., Spruce Grove-St. Albert (ND) Hunter, Grant R., Cardston-Taber-Warner (W) Jansen, Sandra, Calgary-North West (ND) Jean, Brian Michael, QC, Fort McMurray-Conklin (W), Leader of the Official Opposition Kazim, Anam, Calgary-Glenmore (ND) Kleinsteuber, Jamie, Calgary-Northern Hills (ND) Larivee, Hon. Danielle, Lesser Slave Lake (ND) Littlewood, Jessica, Fort Saskatchewan-Vegreville (ND) Loewen, Todd, Grande Prairie-Smoky (W) Loyola, Rod, Edmonton-Ellerslie (ND) Luff, Robyn, Calgary-East (ND) MacIntyre, Donald, Innisfail-Sylvan Lake (W) Malkinson, Brian, Calgary-Currie (ND) Mason, Hon. Brian, Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood (ND), Government House Leader McCuaig-Boyd, Hon. Margaret, Dunvegan-Central Peace-Notley (ND) McIver, Ric, Calgary-Hays (PC), Leader of the Progressive Conservative Opposition McKitrick, Annie, Sherwood Park (ND) McLean, Hon. Stephanie V., Calgary-Varsity (ND) McPherson, Karen M., Calgary-Mackay-Nose Hill (ND) Miller, Barb, Red Deer-South (ND) Miranda, Hon. Ricardo, Calgary-Cross (ND) Nielsen, Christian E., Edmonton-Decore (ND) Nixon, Jason, Rimbey-Rocky Mountain House-Sundre (W), Official Opposition Whip Notley, Hon. Rachel, Edmonton-Strathcona (ND), Premier Orr, Ronald, Lacombe-Ponoka (W) Panda, Prasad, Calgary-Foothills (W) Payne, Hon. Brandy, Calgary-Acadia (ND) Phillips, Hon. Shannon, Lethbridge-West (ND) Piquette, Colin, Athabasca-Sturgeon-Redwater (ND) Pitt, Angela D., Airdrie (W), Official Opposition Deputy Whip Renaud, Marie F., St. Albert (ND) Rodney, Dave, Calgary-Lougheed (PC), Progressive Conservative Opposition House Leader Rosendahl, Eric, West Yellowhead (ND) Sabir, Hon. Irfan, Calgary-McCall (ND) Schmidt, Hon. Marlin, Edmonton-Gold Bar (ND) Schneider, David A., Little Bow (W) Schreiner, Kim, Red Deer-North (ND) Shepherd, David, Edmonton-Centre (ND) Sigurdson, Hon. Lori, Edmonton-Riverview (ND) Smith, Mark W., Drayton Valley-Devon (W) Starke, Dr. Richard, Vermilion-Lloydminster (PC) Stier, Pat, Livingstone-Macleod (W) Strankman, Rick, Drumheller-Stettler (W) Sucha, Graham, Calgary-Shaw (ND) Swann, Dr. David, Calgary-Mountain View (AL) Taylor, Wes, Battle River-Wainwright (W) Turner, Dr. A. Robert, Edmonton-Whitemud (ND) van Dijken, Glenn, Barrhead-Morinville-Westlock (W) Westhead, Cameron, Banff-Cochrane (ND), Deputy Government Whip Woollard, Denise, Edmonton-Mill Creek (ND) Yao, Tany, Fort McMurray-Wood Buffalo (W) Party standings: New Democrat: 55 Wildrose: 22 Progressive Conservative: 8 Alberta Liberal: 1 Alberta Party: 1 Officers and Officials of the Legislative Assembly Robert H. Reynolds, QC, Clerk Philip Massolin, Manager of Research and Shannon Dean, Law Clerk and Director of House Committee Services Services Nancy Robert, Research Officer Trafton Koenig, Parliamentary Counsel Janet Schwegel, Managing Editor of Stephanie LeBlanc, Parliamentary Counsel and Alberta Hansard Legal Research Officer Brian G. Hodgson, Sergeant-at-Arms Chris Caughell, Deputy Sergeant-at-Arms Paul Link, Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms Gareth Scott, Assistant Sergeant-at-Arms

3 Executive Council Rachel Notley Sarah Hoffman Premier, President of Executive Council Deputy Premier, Minister of Health Shaye Anderson Deron Bilous Oneil Carlier Joe Ceci David Eggen Richard Feehan Kathleen T. Ganley Christina Gray Danielle Larivee Brian Mason Margaret McCuaig-Boyd Stephanie V. McLean Ricardo Miranda Brandy Payne Shannon Phillips Irfan Sabir Marlin Schmidt Lori Sigurdson Minister of Municipal Affairs Minister of Economic Development and Trade Minister of Agriculture and Forestry President of Treasury Board and Minister of Finance Minister of Education Minister of Indigenous Relations Minister of Justice and Solicitor General Minister of Labour, Minister Responsible for Democratic Renewal Minister of Children s Services Minister of Infrastructure, Minister of Transportation Minister of Energy Minister of Service Alberta, Minister of Status of Women Minister of Culture and Tourism Associate Minister of Health Minister of Environment and Parks, Minister Responsible for the Climate Change Office Minister of Community and Social Services Minister of Advanced Education Minister of Seniors and Housing

4 STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY OF ALBERTA Standing Committee on the Alberta Heritage Savings Trust Fund Chair: Mr. Coolahan Deputy Chair: Mrs. Schreiner Cyr Dang Ellis Horne McKitrick Taylor Turner Standing Committee on Alberta s Economic Future Chair: Mr. Sucha Deputy Chair: Mr. van Dijken Carson Connolly Coolahan Dach Drysdale Fitzpatrick Gotfried McPherson Orr Piquette Schneider Schreiner Taylor Standing Committee on Families and Communities Chair: Ms Goehring Deputy Chair: Mr. Smith Aheer Drever Hinkley Horne Jansen Luff McKitrick Miller Pitt Rodney Shepherd Swann Yao Standing Committee on Legislative Offices Chair: Mr. Shepherd Deputy Chair: Mr. Malkinson Drever Ellis Horne Kleinsteuber Littlewood Nixon Pitt van Dijken Woollard Special Standing Committee on Members Services Chair: Mr. Wanner Deputy Chair: Cortes-Vargas Cooper Dang Jabbour Luff McIver Nixon Orr Piquette Schreiner Select Special Ombudsman and Public Interest Commissioner Search Committee Chair: Mr. Shepherd Deputy Chair: Mr. Malkinson Ellis Horne Kleinsteuber Littlewood Pitt van Dijken Woollard Standing Committee on Private Bills Chair: Ms McPherson Deputy Chair: Connolly Anderson, W. Babcock Drever Drysdale Fraser Hinkley Kazim Kleinsteuber McKitrick Rosendahl Stier Strankman Sucha Standing Committee on Privileges and Elections, Standing Orders and Printing Chair: Ms Fitzpatrick Deputy Chair: Ms Babcock Carson Coolahan Cooper Ellis Goehring Hanson Kazim Loyola McPherson Nielsen Schneider Starke van Dijken Standing Committee on Public Accounts Standing Committee on Resource Stewardship Chair: Mr. Cyr Deputy Chair: Mr. Dach Chair: Loyola Deputy Chair: Mr. Hunter Barnes Fildebrandt Fraser Goehring Gotfried Littlewood Luff Malkinson Miller Panda Renaud Turner Westhead Babcock Clark Dang Drysdale Hanson Kazim Kleinsteuber Loewen MacIntyre Malkinson Nielsen Rosendahl Woollard

5 March 20, 2017 Alberta Hansard 361 Legislative Assembly of Alberta Title: Monday, March 20, :30 p.m. 1:30 p.m. Monday, March 20, 2017 [The Speaker in the chair] head: Prayers The Speaker: Bonjour. Good day. Would you please bow your heads. Let us reflect or pray, each in our own way. Let us acknowledge the value of human diversity and the importance of all cultures in our country, particularly on this International Francophonie Day. Let us celebrate the riches that the French language and culture have brought to our country and to our province. Hon. members, ladies and gentlemen, we will now be led in the singing of our national anthem by Mr. Robert Clark. Hon. Members: O Canada, our home and native land! True patriot love in all thy sons command. Car ton bras sait porter l épée, Il sait porter la croix! Ton histoire est une épopée Des plus brillants exploits. God keep our land glorious and free! O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. The Speaker: Please be seated. head: Introduction of Visitors The Speaker: The Member for Calgary-Hays. Mr. McIver: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I rise to introduce to you and through you to all members of the Assembly a great friend of mine and a great friend to Alberta, Jason Kenney. On this day it s important to note that he s fluently bilingual, which is an upgrade. Jason was elected leader of our PC Party on the weekend, and he is in your gallery today. I ask him to rise and receive the usual warm welcome of this Assembly. The Speaker: Welcome. head: Introduction of Guests The Speaker: The hon. Member for Innisfail-Sylvan Lake. Mr. MacIntyre: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to introduce to you and through you the students, staff, and parents from Delburne school, located on the eastern side of the magnificent riding of Innisfail-Sylvan Lake. We have instructor Derk Unterschultz accompanied by parents James Guynup, Beverly Christensen, Sharleen Klein, and Alison Southworth. If the students, staff, and parents would please rise and accept the warm welcome of this Assembly. The Speaker: Welcome. The hon. Member for Sherwood Park. Ms McKitrick: Merci, M. le Président. C est un grand plaisir pour moi de vous présenter aujourd hui, à vous et à tous les membres de cette Assemblée, des représentants de la communauté francophone de l Alberta qui sont avec nous aujourd hui pour célébrer la Journée Internationale de la Francophonie, le 19ième Rendez-vous de la Francophonie: 40 élèves de l école Maurice-Lavallée, une école francophone ici à Edmonton, ainsi que leur directrice, Mme Kim St. André-Brady, l enseignante Chantal Grégoire, et Yic Camara, travailleur en établissement. J offre à nos invités mes meilleurs voeux pour une agréable célébration, et je leur demande de se lever afin de recevoir l accueil chaleureux et traditionnel de cette Assemblée. Merci. [Translation] In the gallery today are 40 students; the school principal, Kim St. André-Brady; their teacher, Chantal Grégoire; and Yic Camara, settlement officer from l école Maurice-Lavallée. [As submitted] The Speaker: Welcome. The hon. Member for Edmonton-Whitemud. Dr. Turner: Merci, M. le Président. C est avec fierté que je me lève à la Chambre aujourd hui, le jour de la Francophonie, pour introduire 37 étudiants de l école Earl Buxton elementary. The students are accompanied by their teachers, Mr. Tony Foote and Mrs. Julie Serbinek, along with their chaperone, Dr. Samina Ali. I would ask them to rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of this Assembly. The Speaker: Welcome. The hon. Minister of Culture and Tourism. Miranda: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It s my pleasure to rise today and introduce to you and through you to all members of the Assembly representatives from Alberta s French-speaking community who are here today in celebration of Les Rendez-vous de la Francophonie and International Francophonie Day. They are Mr. Leo Piquette, former member of the NDP caucus and Member of the Legislative Assembly for Athabasca-Lac La Biche from 1986 to 1989; Ms Audrey Poitras, president of the Métis Nation of Alberta; Mr. Jean Johnson, president of the Association canadienne-française de l Alberta; Victoria Wishart, president of the Alberta branch of Canadian Parents for French; Mr. Dicky Dikamba, executive director of Canadian Volunteers United in Action; Ms Aminata Diallo, president of the Calgary Guinean association; and Evelyne Kemajou, co-ordinator of the Portail de l Immigrant Association de l Alberta. I would ask them to please receive the traditional warm welcome of the Assembly. The Speaker: Welcome. Miranda: Mr. Speaker, I would also like to introduce to you and through you to all members of the Assembly the wonderful staff of the Francophone Secretariat who are here today: Cindie LeBlanc, Antonine Bergeron, Rhéal Poirier, Denise Lavallée, and Martin Bouchard. I would ask them to please receive the traditional warm welcome of the Assembly. The Speaker: The Minister of Health. Ms Hoffman: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. It s my pleasure to introduce to you and through you to all members of our Assembly the Professional Association of Resident Physicians of Alberta. With them today is Dr. Hilary Kornder. She is vice-president, leadership and education, on the executive board of the association. I was pleased to meet with her as well as many of her colleagues. Today marks the 10th anniversary of the Resident Physicians in the Legislature event. This year they are advocating specifically for increased awareness of advanced care planning and goals of care designation. They urge all Albertans to discuss this with their

6 362 Alberta Hansard March 20, 2017 primary care providers as well as their families. I ask that the staff and team members from PARA who are here today please rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of the Assembly. The Speaker: Welcome. The hon. Member for Calgary-Hawkwood. Connolly: Merci, M. le Président. Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It s a privilege to rise and introduce to you and through you to all members of the Assembly Alphonse Ahola Ndem, Audrey Poitras, Dulari Prithipaul, Emmanuel Mulumba, and Pierre-Yves Mocquais. I introduce them today to mark International Francophonie Day and to thank them for their invaluable contribution to the community and to Alberta. I invite them now to stand and receive the traditional warm welcome of the Assembly. It s also my pleasure to introduce today the MP for Rimouski- Neigette-Témiscouata-Les Basques, Guy Caron. I invite him to rise and receive the warm welcome of the Assembly. The Speaker: Welcome. The hon. Member for Sherwood Park. Ms McKitrick: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It s a privilege to rise and introduce to you and through you to all members of the Assembly Marie Gaudet. Marie is a proud descendant of one of the first Acadian families to come to North America. She has never forgotten her roots and is always happy to promote the French language and culture in all of its glorious diversity. I would like to thank Marie for her contribution to Sherwood Park and invite her to rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of the Assembly. The Speaker: Welcome. The hon. Member for Banff-Cochrane. Mr. Westhead: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I m delighted to introduce to you and through you to members of this Assembly two councillors from Rocky View county. Liz Breakey and Margaret Bahcheli are in Edmonton for the AAMD and C conference. They are two of the most hard-working councillors I ve had the privilege of meeting. I m honoured to call them both colleagues and friends and to work together with them to serve rural Albertans. I d ask them to rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of the Assembly. 1:40 The Speaker: Welcome. The hon. Minister of Indigenous Relations. Mr. Feehan: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I m very happy to rise today to introduce two people in the public gallery from the great constituency of Edmonton-Rutherford. David Ealey was an issues manager in the communications branch of Alberta environment and sustainable resource development and developed a role of providing support and mentorship to young students coming into that program. He continues to do this now that he s no longer working for the department. Today he s brought one of his mentees with him, Zvonimir Rac. Zvonimir is currently studying public relations at MacEwan University. I would ask them to rise and receive the traditional warm welcome of the House. The Speaker: Welcome. Hon. members, are there any other guests today? The Member for Calgary-West. Mr. Ellis: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It s my pleasure to rise and introduce to you and through you to all members of the House three devoted Albertans and tireless members of the unity campaign: Mr. Tyler Shandro, Mr. Dan Heath, and Mr. Dan Williams. If I may just add, Tyler is a respected lawyer in the city of Calgary. He s a member of the Calgary Police Commission. He is the president of the Calgary-West constituency association. He is a beloved husband and father and a personal friend. If we could please give them the warm welcome of this Assembly. Thank you. The Speaker: Welcome. The Minister of Municipal Affairs. Ms Larivee: Or Children s Services. The Speaker: I ll try that one. Ms Larivee: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. With your indulgence, I would like to introduce three individuals today. It is my pleasure to rise and introduce to you and through you to all members of this Assembly three members of the Ministerial Panel on Child Intervention. I ask my guests to rise as I call their name. Dr. Peter Choate holds a PhD in addictions and a master of social work. He is an assistant professor of social work at Mount Royal University and a continuing education instructor at the University of Calgary. Bruce MacLaurin holds a master of social work and is a member of the University of Calgary s Faculty of Social Work. He teaches classes on child maltreatment, social work evaluation, and research social work policy related to child and family issues at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Dr. Patti LaBoucane-Benson has a PhD in human ecology, focusing on aboriginal family and community resilience. Dr. LaBoucane-Benson has worked for Native Counselling Services of Alberta for 21 years and is currently the director of research, training, and communication, providing leadership for research teams undertaking community-based applied research. Dr. LaBoucane-Benson is a proud Métis member in this province as well. Mr. Speaker, these individuals bring to the table decades of experience working to make lives better for Alberta s children. Their thoughtfulness and caring perspectives contribute greatly to the panel s work. I ask all members to give them the traditional warm welcome of the Assembly. The Speaker: Hon. members, are there any other guests? Lethbridge-East. Ms Fitzpatrick: Merci, M. le Président. C est un grand plaisir pour moi de vous présenter aujourd hui my two daughters, Selena and Michelle Carter, who are in the gallery. They both are incredible supports to me, and Selena is a constituent. Please give them the traditional warm welcome of our Assembly. head: Ministerial Statements The Speaker: The Minister of Culture and Tourism. Journée Internationale de la Francophonie Miranda: Merci, M. le Président. Je suis heureux de me lever en Chambre aujourd hui et de prendre la parole à l occasion de la Journée Internationale de la Francophonie. Aujourd hui, de concert avec les 80 autres états et gouvernements membres de l Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie, nous célébrons la langue française et les cultures francophones ici en Alberta, partout au Canada et aussi à travers le monde. À mon arrivée au Canada, je ne parlais ni l anglais ni le français, mais je me suis engagé à adopter mon nouveau pays, et cela

7 March 20, 2017 Alberta Hansard 363 signifiait apprendre les deux langues officielles. Même si ma langue maternelle est l espagnol, je suis fier de me considérer francoalbertain au cœur, et je suis très fier de partager cette fière tradition linguistique et notre héritage dans notre province. L Alberta a fait de grandes avancées pour reconnaître les contributions des Albertains d expression française et des communautés francophones. Il y a presque 30 ans aujourd hui que dans cette Chambre Leo Piquette, alors Député d Athabasca-Lac La Biche, s est levé pour poser une question en français. Sa question a été rapidement interrompue, mais son audace a néanmoins suscité un débat sur les droits linguistiques des francophones en Alberta. Les années quatre-vingt et quatre-vingt-dix ont été des décennies importantes pour les droits linguistiques au Canada et en Alberta. Par exemple, à la suite de l adoption de la Charte canadienne des droits et libertés en 1982, les francophones ont le droit de bénéficier d une éducation en français langue première financée par la province de même qu à une gouvernance scolaire francophone. Aujourd hui l Alberta peut se féliciter de compter sur l un des plus solides programmes de français langue première et de français langue seconde au pays. Un étudiant albertain sur trois est inscrit à un programme en français. Je voudrais souligner que Leo Piquette a également participé à la promotion de l éducation francophone dans le cadre de ce mouvement. Plus récemment il a vu son fils, mon honorable ami le député provincial d Athabasca-Sturgeon-Redwater, poursuivre son œuvre politique. Les efforts de M. Piquette père se faisaient au nom des communautés francophones, et ils ont rappelé aux Albertains que la diversité, peu importe son origine, a toujours été une réalité dans notre province. Reconnaître et célébrer les langues officielles du Canada et toute notre diversité rend aujourd hui notre société plus forte et plus riche, ce qui rend la vie meilleure pour tous les Albertains. Aujourd hui, que ses membres soient des Franco-Albertains de plusieurs générations, des Québécois, des Acadiens, des descendants métis, ou des nouveaux arrivants en provenance de tous les coins du monde, la population francophone de l Alberta prospère et continue de croître. Le français demeure la deuxième langue la plus parlée, après l anglais, et est parlé par plus de 238,000 Albertains. En tant que ministre responsable du Secrétariat francophone, je suis fier de travailler côte-à-côte avec cette communauté plurielle et dynamique sur une panoplie d enjeux et d opportunités. Dans cette optique nous pouvons mentionner le fait que l Alberta est l une des deux provinces canadiennes qui n a pas de politique de services en français. Pour remédier à la situation, nous avons entrepris des consultations communautaires à la fin de l année dernière, et pour la première fois le gouvernement de l Alberta poursuit l élaboration d une politique en matière de francophonie visant à améliorer l accès aux services gouvernementaux en français. L objectif de cette politique est de renforcer l avantage concurrentiel de l Alberta, de renforcer nos relations avec la communauté francophone et de tirer parti du financement offert par le gouvernement fédéral. Au cours du mois de mars Les Rendez-vous de la Francophonie ont offert un important éventail de manifestations culturelles aux communautés d expression française et ce afin de présenter et de célébrer leur patrimoine. Par exemple, le 3 mars, pour la première fois dans l histoire de la province, notre gouvernement a procédé au lever du drapeau franco-albertain sur les terrains de la Législature ici à Edmonton et sur ceux du Centre McDougall à Calgary. M. le Président, j encourage tous les Albertains d apprendre davantage au sujet de l histoire et des contributions de notre Francophonie à bâtir cette province afin de reconnaitre tout ce que cette communauté importante, vibrante et culturellement en santé apporte à notre quotidien et de célébrer l Alberta en français en l honneur de la Journée Internationale de la Francophonie. Je vous remercie. [Translation] Thank you, Mr. Speaker. It is my pleasure to rise today on International Francophonie Day. Today, along with the 80 other member states and governments of the International Organization of la Francophonie, we celebrate the French language and francophone cultures here in Alberta, across Canada, and around the world. When I arrived in Canada, I could not speak English or French, but I was committed to adopting my new country, and that meant learning the two official languages. Even though my mother tongue is Spanish, I am proud to consider myself Franco-Albertan in my heart, and I am very proud to share this great linguistic tradition and heritage in our province. Alberta has come a long way in recognizing the contributions of French-speaking Albertans and francophone communities. It was almost 30 years ago today that in this very Chamber Leo Piquette, then the MLA for Athabasca-Lac La Biche, rose to ask a question in French. His question was cut short, but his effort nevertheless touched off a debate on language rights for francophones in Alberta. The 80s and 90s were important decades for language rights in Canada and in Alberta. For example, as a result of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms in 1982, francophones have the right to publicly funded French first-language education and the right to francophone governance. Today Alberta can pride itself on having one of the strongest French first-language and French as a second language education programs in the country. One in three students in Alberta is enrolled in a French-language program. I should point out that Leo Piquette was also involved in championing francophone education as part of this movement. More recently he has seen his son Colin carry on his legacy in provincial politics as the Member for Athabasca-Sturgeon- Redwater. While the elder Mr. Piquette s efforts were on behalf of francophone communities, they reminded Albertans that diversity of all types has always been a fact of life in our society. Recognizing and celebrating the official languages of Canada and this diversity makes our society stronger and richer today, which, in turn, makes life better for all Albertans. Today, whether its members are Franco-Albertans of several generations, Québécois, Acadians, Métis descendants, or newcomers to Alberta from all corners of the world, Alberta s French-speaking population is thriving and continues to grow. French remains the second most spoken language after English and is spoken by more than 238,000 Albertans. As minister responsible for the Francophone Secretariat I am proud to work with this diverse and vibrant community on wideranging issues and opportunities. Among those is the fact that Alberta remains one of two provinces in Canada without a Frenchlanguage services policy. To remedy this, we undertook community consultations late last year, and for the first time the Alberta government is moving forward in developing a French policy to help improve access to government services in French. The aim is to enhance Alberta s competitive advantage, strengthen our relationship with the francophone community, and leverage Alberta s fair share of francophone funding from the federal government. The month of March has seen an exciting array of cultural events called Les Rendez-vous de la Francophonie, an opportunity for French-speaking communities throughout the province to showcase and celebrate their heritage. For example, on March 3 our government, for the first time in the province s history, raised the Franco- Albertan flag on the Legislature Grounds here in Edmonton and in front of McDougall Centre in Calgary. It has flown in these places

8 364 Alberta Hansard March 20, 2017 of honour for the entire month of March. It is an important recognition of the historic presence of French culture and language in our province. Mr. Speaker, I encourage Albertans to learn more about the history and contribution of our Francophonie to the building of this province to recognize all that this important, vibrant, and culturally alive community brings to our way of life and to celebrate Alberta en français in honour of the Journée Internationale de la Francophonie, International Francophonie Day. Thank you. [As submitted] The Speaker: The hon. Member for Chestermere-Rocky View. Mrs. Aheer: Aujourd hui c est la Journée Internationale de la Francophonie, où nous célébrons notre patrimoine canadienfrancais. C est un patrimoine qui ne serait pas le même sans nos frères et nos sœurs français. French was the first of the European languages spoken in our great province. Many of our communities were named by French missionaries, including Lacombe, Lac La Biche, Bonnyville, Legal, and many others. These towns were established in part to entrench French language and culture in the west. Today French is the mother tongue of over 80,000 Albertans. While approximately 238,000 speak the language, more than 390,000 Albertans are French descendants. This puts Alberta as the third-largest francophone population in Canada. Le 22 mars commence la celebration des Rendez-vous de la Francophonie, qui met l accent sur les contributions que les francophones ont apporté à leurs communautés. The official flag of the Alberta francophone community includes Albertan and francophone symbolism and combines the delicate but resilient wild rose with the light and life of the fleur-de-lys. J encourage tout le monde à participer à des événements dans leur communauté pour honorer et célébrer notre patrimoine francophone. Je suis fière de pouvoir parler cette belle langue, d avoir cela dans mon patrimoine et de pouvoir le transmettre à mes beaux enfants. Je vous remercie. 1:50 Mr. Mason: Mr. Speaker. I would request unanimous consent of the House to allow the leader or designate of the third party and the other independent members to respond to the ministerial statement. [Unanimous consent granted] The Speaker: The leader of the third party. Mr. McIver: Thank you, Mr. Speaker, and thank you, members. It s an honour to rise today on behalf of the Progressive Conservative caucus to acknowledge International Francophonie Day and the contributions from the francophone community to our province and indeed all of Canada. From St. Paul and Bonnyville to Beaumont and many other communities across this great province Alberta francophones have helped build this province for hundreds of years. The Progressive Conservative caucus understands that our province thrives best when we work closely with all communities like the francophones in Alberta to add to our cultural mosaic, although they are at the core of our cultural mosaic. That is why the previous government was proud to establish the Francophone Secretariat to act as a liaison between the provincial government and the community. Since 1999 the role of the Francophone Secretariat has been to advocate for grant funding, public education, and vital information for the French community. Moving forward, this caucus will encourage the provincial government to continue supporting this important initiative. Even centuries after French explorers made the voyage to what is now Alberta, the community continues to grow, and we are seeing an increase in our bilingual population. Over 81,000 Albertans speak French as their mother tongue, and nearly 240,000 are bilingual. As world-wide markets continue to become more globalized, it s critical to fund bilingual programs and train our province s future leaders to represent Alberta on a global scale. Mr. Speaker, on International Francophonie Day we re proud to look back on the contribution made by Alberta s French community to our culture and economy that has truly helped build our province, but we also look forward to this continued partnership that we all benefit from. M. le Président, au nom du Parti Progressiste-Conservateur je suis tellement fier de vous dire: vive la Francophonie Albertaine. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Elbow. Mr. Clark: Merci, M. le Président. C est mon honneur de me lever aujourd hui, la Journée Internationale de la Francophonie, which we celebrate every March 20 in commemoration of the 1979 Nîmes convention, where French-speaking states aligned their mutual interests. The Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie brings together 84 member states and governments from five continents, representing approximately 1 billion inhabitants, including 274 million francophones. Now, francophones first came to Alberta in the 1780s as part of the fur trade. Today francophones are descendants from the Québécois, Acadians, and, of course, the Métis peoples. They have passed down their identity, their culture, and their language through the generations, and Alberta is much stronger for it. Many people don t know that until the 1870s, French was the primary European language spoken here in Alberta. Today the contribution of francophone Albertans remains strong, with approximately 85,000 Albertans claiming French as their first language and a further 240,000 being bilingual. Well, perhaps that s 240,000 and a half, as you will soon find out that my French is not quite good enough to be considered fully bilingual. But my daughters are taking French immersion in Alberta s tremendous public school system, and they have taught me a great deal. Alberta s francophone community is remarkably diverse, with over 10,000 newcomers of francophone descent from Africa, Asia, and the Middle East who call Alberta home. Mais étant que la Francophonie est une mode de vie, c est une culture distincte et une identité. C est une famille et une aide composée que nous sommes comme des Canadiens et des Albertains et la nation de Métis. Elles sont des parties importantes de l Alberta, et nous sommes les meilleurs pour cela. Merci beaucoup. Mr. Mason: Mr. Speaker, I would request unanimous consent of the House to continue with the Routine until its completion. [Unanimous consent granted] head: Oral Question Period The Speaker: The Leader of the Official Opposition. Budget 2017 Mr. Jean: The Premier says that her budget provides a steady hand. Well, here s what a steady hand from an NDP government looks like: a slumping economy; a $10.3 billion deficit; $71 billion in

9 March 20, 2017 Alberta Hansard 365 provincial debt, where every single household in Alberta owes $60,000; and, to top it all off, a carbon tax in the midst of one of the deepest economic downturns our province has ever seen that just keeps getting things more and more expensive. How is strangling growth, taxing families, and plummeting our province into debt a steady hand? The Speaker: The hon. Premier. Ms Notley: Well, thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Let me just say that our government refuses to sacrifice our children s future by forcing them into overcrowded classrooms, so we are funding enrolment, and we are building 24 new schools. We refuse to leave seniors who need care to languish on waiting lists, so we re funding health care, and we re building a new long-term care centre in Calgary. I refuse to hold our economy hostage by letting infrastructure crumble, so we re building a new bridge to Fort Saskatchewan and putting people to work while we do that. We re building our province. They want to tear it down. Mr. Jean: The fact is that this Premier and her cabinet are living in a fantasy world. In their world raising people s heating and gas bills and making Alberta less competitive is good for Albertans, and in their world Alberta can drive our balance sheet off a cliff with zero consequences. But that s not reality. Moody s and DBRS are warning that this NDP budget will lead to more credit downgrades. That means billions more being siphoned away from hospitals and schools, that are so important to Albertans, so that the NDP can pay back the big banks. Does no one over there realize that this is a budget crisis? Ms Notley: Well, speaking of billions, Mr. Speaker, here s what the opposition proposes to do. They promise to cut $10 billion in funding from hospitals, schools, and roads. Why do they want to do that? So they can pay for tax giveaways at the very top. That means no new hospital in Edmonton, no cancer centre in Calgary, and no new schools. The opposition wants Albertans to set their sights lower. Our government wants to help Albertans move forward and do even better. Mr. Jean: None of that is true, Mr. Speaker. But this is true: I believe that this 15 per cent limit will not be breached. That was, of course, the Finance minister just a year and a half ago. Now Alberta is set to hit a 20 per cent ratio. Once debt free, soon we will have a higher debt burden than British Columbia. It means $2.3 billion in annual interest payments that is not going to hire teachers or nurses as we need but to big banks. With more downgrades it will make it even more difficult for things to get back to balance. Why can t the Premier admit her government has a spending problem? Ms Notley: Well, you know, Mr. Speaker, on this side of the House we re building up Alberta. We re building up Alberta. On that side of the House they want to tear Alberta down. What they want to do is raise tuition fees, raise school fees, raise energy bills. You know, if they re so concerned about our finances, why is it that they want to give $600 million in giveaways to people who are struggling on $300,000 a year or more? The Speaker: Second main question. Mr. Jean: Mr. Speaker, here is how a credit downgrade works. It makes it more expensive to borrow. That means higher interest payments for everybody. That s money that doesn t even go to paying off the debt but just to keeping creditors happy. It hurts the ability for our province to tell the world that we are open for business and that we are a safe place to invest. That s what Alberta should be about. But it means fewer jobs, fewer services, and higher taxes for Albertans. This is shameful. When will the Premier clue in and get us off this budget meltdown? 2:00 Ms Notley: Well, Mr. Speaker, here is how cutting $2 billion out of our operating expenses works. It means eliminating the whole child protection ministry. It means cutting the entire seniors ministry. It means getting rid of the Justice department. It is time for a realistic evaluation of what Alberta needs to go forward. We are a government that is supporting Alberta families, and we are proud to do that. Mr. Jean: Well, here are a few easy ideas on how to save money and support Albertans. How about using the private sector to do linen services in Alberta instead of the government? The government can go ahead and cut the carbon tax that would help and the billions in green slush money that she wants to spend, billions and billions. Finally, how about not wasting billions on a job-killing coal shutdown and suing Alberta power companies? That not only saves taxpayers money, but instead of destroying communities in the province, it will actually save jobs. These ideas would help the budget and create jobs. What a concept. Why won t the Premier do any of them as we ask? Ms Notley: Mr. Speaker, what we are doing is investing in Alberta and investing in Albertans and investing in Alberta jobs. We are doing it through an ambitious capital plan, which is going to build the Calgary cancer centre, something that they would cut; build a new hospital in Edmonton, something that they would cut; build 24 new schools across the province, something that they wouldn t do. As a result of that, Albertans have paid for that year after year after year. The time for that kind of backward thinking is over. We are moving Albertans forward. Mr. Jean: The fact is that the NDP jobs plan has been a total disaster; 81,000 full net jobs it s ridiculous, Mr. Speaker have disappeared since this government took power. Household incomes last year plummeted by thousands of dollars, and this budget is just one more of the same failed policies. We should be doing better right now, but we re not. NDP policies are strangling Alberta s potential, growth is almost nonexistent, and the budget is bathed in red ink. The Premier s plan has failed Albertans. When will she start to get some common sense and change course? Go in a different direction, Premier. The Speaker: The hon. Premier. Ms Notley: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. We know that Albertans are struggling because of the drop in the international price of oil. We know that it is not something we can control, but what we can control is how we respond to that crisis. So we ve invested in Alberta, and since June 19,000 new jobs have been created in Alberta. We will continue to support Albertans because we have their backs. [interjections] The Speaker: Folks. I could try and give the requests in French, but that would be very painful for you, so let s keep it down because that s the next station I ll go to. The third main question. Mr. Jean: Merci. When a family sits down to pay their bills, they look at how much money they have coming in and how much they

10 366 Alberta Hansard March 20, 2017 need to go back out for bills, their mortgage, and other expenses. Alberta families understand that when times are tough, they need to find a way to shave down expenses where they can. Well, by the time the NDP are done, they will have increased spending in Alberta by $9 billion annually. How on earth is this bending the curve and showing some restraint? The Speaker: The hon. Premier. Ms Notley: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker. Well, I reject the numbers that the member opposite is putting forward, but what I will say is that we will not make drastic, unthought-out, dramatic cuts that will hurt Albertans. We are going to make life better for Alberta families. We are focusing on creating jobs, we are focusing on making life more affordable, and we are focusing on protecting those important public services that support Albertans day in and day out because, as I ve said before, we have Albertans backs. Mr. Jean: Mr. Speaker, the Premier is not the only one that s rejecting the numbers; Albertans are, too, and the NDP should get spending under control. Although the NDP tried to stuff it away in their budget, the fact is that taxes are still going up this year big time. The carbon tax has already raised the cost of gas, fuel, and groceries, and with the NDP it s going to go up another 50 per cent this year and continue to increase until it costs a typical household $2,500 or more per year. Why is the government misleading Albertans by claiming that there are no tax hikes in this year s budget? Ms Notley: Well, Mr. Speaker, as you know, what that plan actually did is that it succeeded in getting Alberta something that the fellows over there could not make happen for over a decade. Our climate leadership plan is entirely related to how we got not one but two pipelines approved, the very pipelines that are going to bring jobs back to Alberta and put those families back to work. Mr. Jean: The NDP keep showing how out of touch they are with families across this great province. Bringing in a carbon tax isn t affordable. Raising the price of that carbon tax definitely isn t making life more affordable for Albertans, and running a government that has raised taxes, capped growth on our oil sands, and mortgaged future generations at dangerous levels of borrowing isn t helping either. These policies are very bad news for Albertans and Albertans long term. When will the Premier finally give them a break? The Speaker: The hon. Premier. Ms Notley: Well, thank you, Mr. Speaker. I ll tell you what makes life more affordable for Albertans: dropping their school fees by 25 per cent, freezing tuition rates, and putting a cap on energy prices. Each one of those things the folks over there would have rejected and would undo. Albertans don t want that. They want to stick with our affordability. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Hays. School Fees Mr. McIver: Mr. Speaker, the NDP has profiled their incompetence once more in the form of Bill 1, where they re actually legislating their failure to deliver on an election promise, as they will reduce school fees not by 100 per cent as promised but only 25. They claim they have found efficiencies in the Ministry of Education. I have not yet found in the budget any funds to make the school boards whole once they can no longer collect these fees. To the Minister of Education: why are you penalizing school boards, who will now have to cut in other areas, disadvantaging the very children you claim to help in order to make cheap political points? Ms Notley: Well, Mr. Speaker, it is true that we are only reducing school fees by 25 per cent, but that s because year after year after year after year, 44 years, the previous government allowed Alberta to develop the highest school fees in the country. They ignored people saying that school fees were out of control. They though it made perfect sense to make hard-working families pay more for their public education. Our government took action. Our government said: no more. I think Albertans are probably pretty happy about that. Mr. McIver: No answer for school boards, as expected. Mr. Speaker, according to the NDP any discussion by previous governments around efficiency they have said meant laying off teachers and nurses. Now they claim to have found efficiencies. They can t have it both ways. I would like to ask the minister to give the real story. How many teachers or essential personnel will you be laying off, or if no layoffs, what will you be forcing school boards to shortchange Alberta kids by? The Speaker: The hon. Minister of Education. Mr. Eggen: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I was so proud to table Bill 1. Certainly, the hon. member can choose to not, you know, vote for that same Bill 1 if he wants to, but if passed, it will put real reductions in school fees, which will help school boards and parents as well because it is a perennial problem that school boards have these fees. They tried their best over the years, but they did not have long-term, stable funding from the government. Now they do. Now we re working together to make life better for Albertans. Mr. McIver: Oh, Mr. Speaker, we ll support the decrease. It s still a broken promise, and they still haven t answered the question, so I will ask it a third time. To the minister: isn t it time to tell Alberta school boards the truth for a change? Since you re not really making them whole from the fees they can no longer collect, what services will Alberta children now have to do without so that the NDP can have one good media day at children s expense? Mr. Eggen: Well, you know, Mr. Speaker, it s not just about media days and so forth; it s about making life better for regular Albertans, and that s what we have been doing day in and day out, and school boards have been behind this. Parent groups have been behind it as well. Albertans know that the school fees were too darn high. We re here to clean it up because you know what? there was a big mess to clean up after this previous government not funding long-term, stable funding for education. Now we re doing so, and I m pretty darn proud of that. The Speaker: The hon. Member for Calgary-Mountain View. 2:10 Mental Health Patient Advocate Dr. Swann: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Mental Health Patient Advocate s office was established in 1995 to protect patients rights and improve the mental health system. Since 1990 the advocate s work has increased exponentially, but the resources have not. In fact, it went from being an independent office with its own budget to recently being rolled into the Alberta Health Advocate s office and sharing its funds. To the Minister of Health: if the government truly values mental health and rejects stigma and protects patients rights, why does it keep shortchanging the mental health advocate s office?

11 March 20, 2017 Alberta Hansard 367 The Speaker: The Minister of Health. Ms Hoffman: Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker and to the member for the question. I look forward to having an opportunity to engage in full budget discussions. One of the things that I m so proud to make sure that everyone knows is that we ve more than tripled the investment to make sure that addictions and mental health are addressed properly as we move forward. I m incredibly proud of that. It s my understanding that at a specific point in time following the floods in southern Alberta that office was created, but there have been considerations of how best to serve the people, and I look forward to having opportunities to continue that dialogue with hon. members. The Speaker: First supplemental. Dr. Swann: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. In her previous annual report the advocate said: The past year posed challenges to fulfill our legislative mandate in a timely manner... largely due to the loss of a position along with the Government... restraint measures. It had a direct impact on the number of Albertans we served and the comprehensiveness of our investigations. As a result, the office was unable to conduct a single formal investigation of a patient complaint. To the minister: do you not see that chronic underfunding of this important office is causing it to fail to live up to its mandate? The Speaker: The Associate Minister of Health. Ms Payne: Thank you, Mr. Speaker and to the member for the question. Just to follow up on a piece of the earlier question, funding for the mental health advocate in Budget 2017 is consistent with last year. In fact, the advocate has been appointed on an interim basis during the recruitment process for a new person to fill that role. Our government is very committed to ensuring that Albertans are able to access the mental health supports that they need, regardless of where they live in our province. To that end, we ve committed more than $5.6 million in new operating funds towards implementing the recommendations of the mental health review in addition to the funding that has been included to address the substance use crisis in our province. Dr. Swann: Mr. Speaker, the truth is that the mental health advocate speaks for mental health patients who are not happy with the way that the system is working. Mergers seem to be the rage these days. Now even the NDP is getting into the act. When Carol Robertson Baker finished her term as mental health advocate, the government didn t replace her; instead, the Minister of Health has simply merged the mental health and the Health Advocate, as I indicated. Apparently the government has no intention of empowering this office, which is odd given the increased complexity and the increased volume of cases we are now dealing with, especially with the opiate crisis. Clearly, the advocate needs independence and an increased budget... The Speaker: Thank you, hon. member. The Associate Minister of Health. Ms Payne: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. I would like to reiterate my answer from the last question. Currently the mental health advocate role is being combined with the Health Advocate on an interim basis. We are in the process of an open recruiting process, and we look forward to hiring a new person for that role. Frankly, we know that that is an important role within the system, and we continue to look for other ways that we can expand access to all Albertans. You know what? The only way that we can get there is by continuing to work together to increase funding for mental health. The Speaker: Thank you, hon. minister. Calgary-Hawkwood. Health Services for Transgender and Gender-diverse Albertans Connolly: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Metta clinic in Calgary was created as a pilot project in 2014 to provide trans and genderdiverse youth in the Calgary area with comprehensive health care and provide the care that these youth need in order to live happy, healthy lives. Since its creation wait-list times have risen from nine months to nearly three years. To the Associate Minister of Health: what are you doing to ensure that our youth have access to these invaluable services? The Speaker: The hon. associate minister. Ms Payne: Thank you, Mr. Speaker and to the member for this question. This past January I had the opportunity to meet with the member as well as Lindsay Peace and her son Ace. Ace came out as transgender at the age of 14, and their family had made use of the medical services available at the Metta clinic. As they shared their story, they described the clinic as a supportive and vital resource. The clinic s mandate is to provide multidisciplinary assessment and consultation to transgendered youth in Calgary and in southern Alberta, with specialists from psychiatry, adolescent medicine, and endocrinology being brought together to find an allied and co-ordinated approach to care for transgendered youth. The Speaker: Thank you, hon. minister. First supplemental. Connolly: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Given that the wait times for the Metta clinic continue to rise and given that the continued operation of the clinic is essential to ensure trans and gender-diverse youth are kept safe and healthy, to the same minister: what is the government doing to ensure the Metta clinic moves from a pilot program to a permanent program? The Speaker: The associate minister. Ms Payne: Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Our government is committed to the very critical services provided by the Metta clinic. Since its opening the Metta clinic has seen more than 60 patients and has received over 200 referrals. We know that these services save lives and that timely access is critical to youth, particularly as they approach puberty. I ve asked AHS to bring forward options for improving access to these kinds of services, and we expect their recommendations on the next step to be brought forward later this spring. Outside of the clinic, we re also looking to expand service for transgendered youth depending on their needs, including service through family physicians, endocrinologists, and mental health services. The Speaker: Thank you, hon. minister. Connolly: Given that many trans and gender-diverse people have difficulty accessing health care due to transphobia and misinformation within the health care system and given that trans and genderdiverse individuals often need more medical attention in their lifetime than their cis counterparts, what is the minister doing to help educate doctors and nurses within the health care system about LGBTQ-plus issues?